The 6 Best 3D Printers for Beginners and Enthusiasts

The hype surrounding 3D printers have died down in recent years, but they're certainly no passing fad. And it's never been more affordable to get started.

You can see our guide on how to get started in 3D printing if you're unfamiliar with the basics. Once you're ready, we've selected of a spread of printers for beginners budgets and enthusiasts willing to spend a little more for the very best.

If you're looking to get into 3D printing on a budget, you're not likely to do much better than Monoprice's Select Mini 3D printer. For just $220, you get a full-featured printer that's ready to use out of the box and, and unlike some inexpensive 3D printers, it'll also give you the flexibility to use a range of different filament types.

While they expectedly found some drawbacks considering the price, Hackaday described it as a "fantastic printer" and " game-changing machine" in their review, while All3DP rated it as their best budget 3D printer.

3D printers aimed at beginners can be had for as little as a few hundred dollars, but those not as concerned with cost can also step things up considerably without entering pro-level territory. The LulzBot Mini desktop 3D printer is one of the more highly regarded entry- to mid-range printers around, with PCMag calling it "amazingly easy to set up and use," and plenty of customer reviews echoing that sentiment.

It'll also work with plenty of different filament types, and includes a number of features like self-leveling and auto-nozzle cleaning that further bolster its ease of use.

A $3,500 3D printer certainly isn't for everyone, but it can be considered something of a bargain when you compare it to what that same money would buy you even just a few years ago. While it's aimed at professionals, Formlabs' Form 2 won't disappoint enthusiasts or ambitious beginners either. In its recommendation, Digital Trends notes that it's not only "most accurate 3D printer we've used," but "far more user friendly than other printers in its class." As a bonus, it also looks more like a sci-fi film prop than many other printers.

Makerbot may not be marketing its 3D printers in the ambitious, consumer-facing way it was a few years ago, but it is still producing printers that are well-suited for enthusiasts and professionals. The company's Replicator+ impressed us with its ease of use and high quality results when we reviewed it last year, and it remains a favorite of many others. As you'd expect for the $2,500 asking price, it's ready to go right out of the box with only minimal setup required, and it offers considerable advantages over the previous Replicator model, including a 30 percent faster print time and ability to print models that are 25 percent larger.

The Up Mini 2 from Tiertime in between beginner and mid-range pricing but gets fairly high marks across the board, including a recommendation from The Wirecutter as the best 3D printer for beginners. As they note, it's polished design stands out from many other inexpensive 3D printers, and it delivers high-quality printed models to match.

You'll also get some features not found on other more budget-minded printers, including full touchscreen controls and even a built-in HEPA filter to help cut down on emissions.

If you're looking for small taste of 3D printing but aren't ready to take the plunge on a full-fledged desktop printer, a 3D printing pen is another option to consider. The 3Doodler Create is one of the more popular options available and, while it obviously won't give you the same precise models possible with a regular 3D printer, it opens up plenty of other possibilities for the more creativity.

The 3Doodler Start ($40) is also worth a look if you need a more kid-friendly option.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Popular Mechanics participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.